Thank you for the caveat at the end as too many writers are trying too hard to fulfill the Transformational Arc without really understanding what it actually encompasses.
The way I always go at flaws or arc is to look at what would be a problem in a given environment: colleges (Harvard vs.Podunk Community); law firms (large vs. small); police stations (high crime vs. high society) as these should be crafted to create the most "need for either change or surrender."

This is noted in how the aphorisms you mentioned reflected the banalities of the protags.

As far as transformations, I've found there are four possible:

1) coming of age\moving to big city
(Enchanted)
2) wearing blinders as to your affect on others
(jerry Maguire)
3) never being touched closely through your chosen lack of concern
(As Good as it Gets)
4) learning self-worth
(Sleeping with the Enemy)

Of course those are abstract ideas but they do filter to most arc stories - where the arc is the plot. There should be some "change through growth" affecting all characters though.

Again just my opinion.

For some reason this line popped into my head this week: "Listen, there's no proof of anything except that this guy is a sensational athlete." Jerry Maguire